gift

Seriously, how precious is Mr. Squeakers and his bucket of flower joy?!?!

This month I wanted to follow in the tradition of my dear friend and offer both a lock screen background graphic for smartphones as well as a more minimal (but equally beautiful) background wallpaper. That way, the graphics won’t interfere with your apps.

My sweet friend, Neesha, over at Paper Wand is the inspiration behind the creation of these fun free phone wallpapers and lock screen graphics! Her newest graphic is the most beautiful watercolor hearts. You absolutely must go check her out and show her some love. Trust me, you’ll absolutely thank me when you peek at her beautiful creations. They’re right up your alley.

If you love adorable Valentine goodies for your sweetie, be sure to check out the Little Girl’s Pearls Valentine jewelry line. ♥

Every girl loves to feel special on her birthday, and a birthstone is on thing that cane make her feel truly celebrated. Her birthstone is a lovely way to show her how special she is (especially when it’s a princess pink birthstone)!

Green tourmaline was first thought to be discovered in the 1500’s where it was confused with emerald. It wasn’t until the 1800’s that scientists discovered that it was its very own gemstone. Because of the confusion, the name even means “mixed gems” Sri Lankan. Tourmaline can be found in a beautiful rainbow of colors, but here we focus on the lovely and feminine pink hues.

It has been found all over the world including California. It makes me want to take a quick trip down to San Diego where they still find the beautiful, multi-hued gems!

For October’s birthstone, I focus on the dainty pink tourmaline, which is particularly delicate and lovely. October actually has two birth stones, opal & tourmaline. Because of its gorgeous color, pink tourmaline is a favorite for jewelry for girls.

When you gaze into a piece of tourmaline, you’re likely to spy all of the hues of pink, soft delicate pinks, touches of deeper rich pinks, and everything in-between. This variety adds a beautiful depth to her October birthstone creating a natural ombre effect.

Pink Tourmaline – October’s birthstone, is a favorite among girls of all ages, whether their birthdays are in October or not, because of its beautiful color. Baby Pink tourmaline jewelry has a particularly delicate and feminine look and feel, which makes it a great choice for new babies. The stones look beautiful paired with real freshwater pearls, silver or gold. It’s the perfect choice for your precious princess!

You lucky ducky girls who are born in June are lucky enough to have three birthstones! {Pearl ♥ Moonstone ♥ Alexandrite} While I obviously love pearls (I get to play with pearls every single day – lucky me), I also have a great appreciation for all three of the sparkly, stunning June birthstones.

Moonstone is a semi-transparent stone, and I think it is definitely one of the best at capturing light in the most beautiful way. It gives off a milky white light that can also include little flashes of blue when the light hits it just right. Moonstone often looks as if it has a little bit of a glow to it.

It’s easy to see how the stone got its name; moonstone seems to have captured the stunning light of the moon. In ancient Rome, people used to believe that you could identify the different phases of the moon within moonstone. While we don’t believe that the stone physically changes appearance with the moon’s phases anymore, it certainly does have an ethereal, almost otherworldly appearance.

When it is micro-faceted into the beautiful little gemstones I use in my jewelry designs, it plays with the light beautifully. I love pairing it with silver and pearls as the moonstone seems to throw light against the other surfaces of the pieces. It’s so much fun to turn moonstone jewelry to different angles and see how it changes as it catches the light.

If you’re on the lookout for the most traditional June birthstone, pearl is your girl. I absolutely adore creating pearl birthstone jewelry for all the lovely June birthday babies! The pearls I use are genuine cultured freshwater pearls in a luscious creamy white color, natural pink, and sometimes I even have some peachy or lavender pearls available. Pearls have the most amazing timeless elegance and have traditionally symbolized purity and innocence – pearl jewelry makes a perfect baby gift.

Alexandrite has a controversial history that started all the way back in 1834 in Imperial Russia. While a miner was working in an emerald mine, he came across a gem that he thought was an emerald, but once he held it up to the light, he realized it was something new entirely. It flashed different colors depending on the light. It is fabled that the stone got its name from Alexander II because it was discovered on his birthday.

The Russian mines were exhausted in the early 20th century leaving almost a century until a new deposit was discovered, this time in Brazil. Natural Alexandrite is extremely rare, and incredibly expensive. So, in my jewelry creations, I use genuine Swarvoski Austrian crystals in the pale lavender of Alexandrite, so she can celebrate her June birthday without the crazy price tag! Not to mention, because they are represented with a crystal, they are extra sparkly!

Whether you are searching for a classic, traditional June birthstone gift in pearls or something more ethereal like the sweet moonstone with the blue flashes, or the beautiful and elegant lavender alexandrite, you lovely June birthday girls will find meaningful, stunning birthstone jewelry at Little Girls’ Pearls.

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May’s birthstone – the beautifully green emerald, is one of the rarest and most popular gemstones. That doesn’t surprise me in the least! The gorgeously vibrant green color always catches my eye. My dear friend {hello, J ♥} has an emerald in her wedding ring, and it’s absolutely stunning.

I think that an emerald was the perfect choice for May’s birthstone because it embodies the life and color of spring. In May, you’ll see the deep green emerald reflected in spring tulips, in the foliage of trees, and in the grass that’s finally recovering from its long winter’s nap. Emeralds are the color of new life, perfect for May! That’s probably why emeralds have been associated with rebirth for centuries. For me, emeralds are a bright symbol of new beginnings, growth, and happy energy.

A fun historical tidbit about emeralds is that Cleopatra was said to be all but fanatical about them. The first known emerald mine was a Greek mine near the Red Sea. Cleopatra claimed it as her own. The ancient Egyptians fervently believed that emeralds could treat eye diseases, and were the symbol of fertility and rebirth. That’s one of the reasons why Egyptian pharaohs insisted on being buried with emeralds – the hope of rebirth. Visiting heads of state were said to have gifted Cleopatra with emeralds that had been carved in her likeness – oh man, I’d love to see one of those!

In the emerald jewelry that I lovingly create, I diligently attempt to capture that spirit of life, energy, and renewal. Emeralds look beautiful nestled among pearls, as a pair of delicate earrings, or as a personalized pendant necklace. At Little Girl’s Pearls, all of my birthstone jewelry has the option to be created with genuine gemstones that are micro-faceted to give them that little bit of twinkly sparkle. The emeralds I use are a beautiful lighter green color, un-dyed and natural. I absolutely adore the varied hues and inclusions in these stones, they seem to speak a story all their own.

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I am SO excited! After 18 months of travel, planning, changes, delays and a few tears – but plenty of excitement, my new gift packaging is here!!!

In my 17 years of being a jewelry maker, my gift packaging has gone through several iterations. I started with a simple organza bag, moved on to basic off-the-shelf gift boxes, then on to my first custom gift box design. And now…something so precious and lovely that I can’t help but smile when I think of it. {sigh}

I work super hard behind-the-scenes to make sure your pearls are perfect (another blog post about that is coming soon), your gift wrap is gorgeous, and that her pearls make it all the way to her hands without a hitch. I think you’d be surprised at the journey of this gift packaging’s path into existence. It was quite a roller coaster, but a ride definitely done out of love.

It all started in 2015 – hubby and I packed up and flew to the bright lights of Las Vegas to our very first major trade show. Coming from our little town of Lompoc, we were crazy overwhelmed. Holy moly! We had spent weeks making a plan of attack, so we didn’t miss any vendors at the show. It was all mapped out & loaded up on the phone.

It took us THREE solid 8 hour days just to get through all of the vendors. We had meetings and looked through what seemed like a gazillion box choices with scores of vendors. We were exhausted, so we spent the last night binge watching House of Cards in our gorgeous room at the Aria – while looking out over the beautiful lights of the strip.

We left Las Vegas exhausted, with a bag full of colorful business cards, brochures, and contact information. We even ran into my business crush, Lisa Leonard, at the airport in Santa Maria [I was too nervous to say hello]. Goodness. {blush} I felt like a goofy groupie. So silly! The funny thing is that I’ve been in the jewelry biz far longer, but she’s just AMAZING. Seriously. Amazing. Cat got your tongue kind of amazing. But I digress…

After looking through the piles of the colorful brochures and business cards, the research began. I spent literally 3 months researching, contacting, chatting, requesting samples, and generally getting to know several box manufacturers across the country. I wanted to find the perfect box to hold the pearls while still sticking within the budget, so I didn’t have to raise my prices just because of gift packaging.

We found a company relatively close to home (and only a few minutes from Disneyland…can’t beat that!) So we took the trek down several different times to meet with the company, design the boxes, choose all…the…things. It’s insane how many decisions go in to making a superb box! The shell, the fabric, the lining, the outer covering, the hot stamping foil choice, the outer gift packer, the bow. Then I found the best anti-tarnish cloth that was also soft enough to safely store pearls, and I hired a seamstress to custom-make my special anti-tarnish pearl pouches to fit perfectly inside of our new custom boxes. Hooray!!

We found that to have the manufacturer tie the ribbon on top of the box (not around the box…I want you to be able to open them before gifting), was going to QUADRUPLE the price. What?!?! Seriously. Craziness. So I sourced the perfect pink ribbon and now we individually cut, attach, and hand-tie each ribbon to the top of each box, right here in our little California studio.

So after a crazy journey of elation, disappointments, joys and tears…I present to you the fancy schmancy gift packaging that comes complimentary with every Little Girl’s Pearls order!

So what do you think? Do you love it, too? I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!! ♥

A baby shower is all about celebrating a brand new life and supporting the mom and dad to-be as they prepare for their new roles as parents. It’s so exciting to be part of a friend or family member’s life at this point and to share in their happiness as they get ready to welcome a little bundle of joy into the world. Although you’ll have to wait a little while to greet the new baby, his or her mom and dad will be grateful for your presence (and presents!) at their baby shower.

There are endless great ideas for adorable and useful baby shower gifts: the tiniest pearl baby bracelets, booties, onesies, teethers, baby hats, blankets, children’s books, toys, and so on – you get the idea. It’s easy to find something that will make both you and the mom-to-be say “aw.” What can be a little trickier is filling out the accompanying card. We all get a little tongue-tied when it comes to writing messages that are sweet and meaningful. But don’t worry! You don’t have to resort to baby talk. You can use the messages below to share your excitement and well wishes with a newly growing family at their baby shower.

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #1 – Sending you so many warm wishes as you head out on this new adventure! You are going to be amazing parents to your new little sweetie girl. She will be so blessed to have you as her parents!

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #3 – Congratulations, Mama! I’m wishing you the very best as you look forward to all of the wonderful moments of raising a new baby: each toe wriggle, nose wrinkle, coo and sleepy grin. I hope you find endless joy in motherhood.

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #4 –
I am so happy for you! Cherish these little moments. They go far too quickly. Soon you will get to snuggle your precious little girl! You are going to be an amazing mama! You’ve totally got this.

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #5 – Hang on tight! Your world is about to get a little bigger. She is going to turn your world upside down in such an amazing way! You are going to be the best mama ever!!

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #6 – Congratulations on your soon-to-arrive bundle of joy! I hope that every diaper is matched with a big joyful smile and that every sleepless night is matched with a priceless memory.

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #7 – I am so excited to celebrate with you! I can’t wait to snuggle your little sweet pea & spoil her rotten. You are going to be the best mommy ever…but I will be the very best auntie!

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #8 – Your days are going to be filled with endless firsts that will be more precious than pearls. Treausre her while she’s little. She will grow so very quickly.

Baby Shower Gift Card Message Idea #10 – I know this is such a big change in your life. Don’t worry, I’m always here for you. Well…maybe not for the diaper part. But I’ll definitely be here for the snuggling part!

So there you go…if you need a super quick, last-minute baby shower gift card message idea, you’ve got 10 to choose from! So give the new mama-to-be a sweet little gift card & let her know you’ve got her back. That’s all we mamas need – a tribe of other great mamas to help us in the ups and downs of being a mom. xoxo

Here are a few beautiful ideas for a precious keepsake gift for the new little baby girl!

August has a special place in my heart. Our youngest was born in August & my dad’s birthday is August. The weather is always spectacular here on the Central Coast of California and it seems that we have oodles of great marshmallow roasts and family chats sitting on the patio watching the stars.

Peridot (pronounced per-i-doh) is a wonderful bright green color that is reminiscent of sunlight through the leaves. My silly spell check doesn’t even recognize Peridot as a word! Whatever…I think it’s beautiful. Some of the amazing facts I found while researching the history of peridot include:

Peridot has been mined for over 3,500 years!

Peridot is the only gemstone (other than diamond) that is created in the magma of the earth’s upper mantle (about 20 – 55 miles below the surface of the earth).

Peridot is brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions that push the magma up through the crust of the earth.

Many believe the “emeralds” in the ornate jewelry of Cleopatra was actually peridot stones.

I find it interesting that some of the properties believed to be possessed by peridot are that it is thought to ward off anxiety and help with being successful in relationships.

Whether or not the gorgeous pale green stone contains mystical properties is definitely out-shined by it’s true beauty and earthiness. If you’re lucky enough to be born in August, you get to claim the beautiful peridot as your birthstone.

A baby girl’s baptism, christening, blessing or dedication is an important milestone that will be cherished by her family and loved ones for years to come. It’s a moment to celebrate a new member of the family and the little one’s entry into the Christian faith. Being part of a Baptism celebration is a special honor. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, Godfather, Godmother, aunt, uncle or family friend, your love and support can help make this special day a joyous occasion.

Sometimes the hardest part about being a part of a Baptism is finding the perfect thing to write in her card or the perfect meaningful Baptism gift. I wanted to help you solve your dilemma with 10 Baptism gift card message ideas and a few sweet Baby girl Baptism gift ideas that will become cherished keepsakes.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #2 –I send you congratulations and love today as your little lamb enters Jesus’ fold. I know that this will be just the first of many blessed milestones for [baby] and your family.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #3 –On this special day, I hope that you feel the joy and warmth of God’s love. Know that God’s love will continue to shine down, providing lifelong blessings and faith for your little one.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #4 –Congratulations on your baptism. I hope that today will be the first day of a lasting faith that brings you comfort, strength, and guidance. I pray that God fills you with love and happiness for today and every day.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #5 –Congratulations to you and your little one on this blessed day. May your day be filled with joy, love, and many beautiful moments to create wonderful memories for your family.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #6 –Today you feel the Lord’s love and blessing. Know that you will carry that joy and comfort with you for the rest of your life, to lift you up as you celebrate happy times and to light up your darker moments. May God’s grace bless you always.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #7 –I’m thinking of [baby’s name] and your entire loving family on this special day. Congratulations, and I pray that today provides you with wonderful memories for years to come.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #8 –Congratulations, little one. I pray that the Holy Spirit blesses you and fills you with love, peace, and happiness today and for all your days to come.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #9 –Congratulations today as you celebrate [baby name] entering your faith. I pray that this special milestone is full of love and joy from your friends and family.

Baptism Gift Card Message Idea #10 –As you are welcomed into His Family today, may God send his angels to watch over you and guide you as you grow in faith.

Whether or not you are giving a gift, a short card can help to convey your congratulations and affection. Above, you will find ideas for sweet and meaningful cards for the family on the occasion of a baptism or christening.

If you choose to attend the baptism or send a gift or card from afar, you’re sharing your love and warmth with the baby and baby’s family. By helping to welcome the little one into God’s light, you help to make this milestone full of love. For a little girl, a piece of pearl jewelry makes a beautiful, traditional gift. You may even choose a necklace or bracelet with a cross charm to serve as a reminder of God’s love and protection.

When searching around for quotes for your free printable this month, this old American Proverb really spoke to me right now. I am a worry wart. I mean seriously, I worry about my kiddos all…the…time! My boys are 12 and 15, which I truly can’t believe. I have a slide show of their itty bitty baby faces looking at me from my computer screen daily. I absolutely cannot fathom that from those itty bitty babies I now have a spunky pre-teen and a ginormous teenager. How on earth did that happen???

When our oldest was born we had nursing issues. He was so tiny and sad because he was hungry. It just broke my heart. We spent weeks going daily back and forth to the next town to the lactation consultant. It took 3 months, but we finally got the hang of it.

In those early days I was so worried about him gaining weight and growing. Now he’s over 6 feet tall, taller than his daddy, and still growing. He can polish off a 3 pound pot roast and a couple of pounds of carrots if we let him. Oh my word. So in the middle of it, we were terrified and worried constantly…but now from his small beginnings, he has definitely grown and blossomed into a wonderful young man doing great things. He’s studying for his driver’s test (what?!?!?) and has become an awesome farmer and wood turner. So even in the midst of the worry, no matter how tiny your little one is…just know that great things will come from her small beginnings!!

So here’s a big old hug to you, mama! We are totally in this together. Every age brings a new “small beginning” and in the end, great things will certainly abound! So print it out and hang it in her nursery or big girl room. ♥

To download your free printable – something perfect to remind you that will all work out – just click the poster below. You just need a PDF reader to open it. It fits in an 8×10 frame. enjoy!!

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Hello, I'm Julie, a wife, mother, and owner of Little Girl's Pearls. This is a place for all things sparkly, frilly, soft, fluffy, and adorable, and I hope you enjoy it. Take a look around - I'm so happy you're here.You can learn a bit more about me here.